It was as though we'd achieved the zenith of euphoria. The sense of getting what you want after having toiled for it magnifies the achievement. That's what happened to us in Tanzania. We were rewarded with more than we'd expected. Here we were staring at 27 of them, scattered about in a green meadow. We had to pinch ourselves to believe what we saw. From a distance, they could easily be mistaken for a pack of dogs having their afternoon snooze. But they were actually a family of lions, lionesses and cubs lazing around!

To come all the way to Africa and behold such a sight is a once in a lifetime treat. Africa, the very word brings to mind a scene of wilderness, of lush green forests and endless prairies… and its USP? …Wildlife in abundance. There just isn't another place where deer, zebras, giraffes and wildebeests are seen as frequently as dogs, horses, cows and goats back home.

The first glimpse of these creatures makes you jump with joy but soon you realise that unlike the eluding big cats, they move together in herds and can be encountered every few minutes on your safari. After a while you get so accustomed to their presence that you actually begin to take them for granted.

Although wildlife national reserves are scattered all over East Africa, for something more wild and which gives you seclusion alongwith a thrilling safari, I found Tanzania a magical area, home to one of the world famous wildlife sanctuaries, Serengiti. In addition to promising you the famed big five, viz, elephant, lion, leopard, rhino and the African cape buffalo along with the rest, there is this cut-off feel about Tanzania that makes you feel you are in wild country.

Tanzania's wildlife is concentrated in three areas of the Northern Circuit -- Lake Manyara, Serengiti and Ngorongoro Crater, giving the first-timer the ultimate experience in wildlife safaris. What is so marvellous about them is that all three are different in nature and appearance. While Lake Manyara offers you a wild expedition through tropical dense forests, the famed Serengiti will give you the Savannah plains, endless and stark to view the big cats. Ngorongoro Crater in turn is a beautiful hilly terrain set in the largest intact crater on earth with a background of mountains and drifting sand dunes. That's what I call real diversity!

Our week-long wildlife safari saw us through a rough, dusty, bumpy ride on a four- wheel drive, open combi, making it all the more thrilling. Our guide and driver Mohammed, a local African was eager to show us the best his country had to offer. The first pleasing revelation he made to us was that we'd chosen the perfect season to be in the wild. It was the right time to experience a wild wonder, the 'Great Migration'. The famous journey happens only once a year, when wildebeests and other animals commence their long journey from Serengiti to Masai Mara in innumerable herds, in search for greener pastures and water. The annual stampede, considered the longest running show on earth, is where you witness at the horizon, a long, dark strip of dusty animals. Over two million animals take part in this migration, that culminates with their crossing over the Tanzania border to Kenya's Masai Mara. It gives you an insight into the ecological rules of who eats whom, lonely deaths during migration and how important it is to be together for survival.

The Great Migration happens only once a year, when over two million animals including wildebeests commence their long journey from Serengiti to Masai Mara in innumerable herds, in search for greener pastures and water.

Just after dawn, we'd huddle into the combi for an early safari and with eyes wide open would look out for anything from impalas and gazelles to leopards and lions. We'd been warned time and again to expect the unexpected from the wild as this was their territory and they ruled it. The sights left us overwhelmed. A playful baby elephant, keeping in step with his majestic father, cautious impalas disappearing at the slightest clue, giraffes racing with us, grunting, bearded wildebeests grazing in large herds, menacing baboons springing on our vehicle and the absurd zebras staring endlessly at us. We would occasionally see hyenas devouring the remains of a kill made earlier by one of the big cats and, of course, the warthogs that reminded us of funny Pumba in Lion King, ran around with babies in tow. Then there were the ever so lazy hippos at swamps and a lone rhino, threatening to charge at us. Beautiful birds like flamingos, kingfishers, crowned cranes, vultures, hornbills, storks and guinea fowls grace the area. We were amused by a pair of ostriches who displayed their speed when the desperate male chased the hard-to-pursue female endlessly! On one early visit we saw the rare sight of a wildebeest giving birth to her baby, the baby then struggling to stand on its feet, faltering now and then and finally taking its first step.

But what took a great deal of effort was to discover the ferocious leopard, cheetahs and lions. It was an achievement to see even one and they'd just turn away in disgust as we gaped, especially the cheetahs, which took a whole afternoon of endless trails on the plains to locate. I still recall Mohammed excitably shouting, "Cheetah! Cheetah!" after a 3-hr search. The proud lady was beautifully camouflaged with her four cubs, sitting erect with a perfectly toned body and amazing elegance! The cute cubs oblivious to our presence continued their play while mom kept a watch. We drove around her, to get a glimpse of her face, but the clever thing would turn away as soon as we tried.

Close encounters
We spotted most of the cats in Serengiti where the lions were more visible. We came face to face with an old one as soon as we entered the park, looking through thorny bushes, as though he'd devour us there and then! Soon, we spotted a proud lioness who refused to pose for us and a couple of lions that were resting on a mound, looking as though they were in a meeting. At Ngorongoro Crater we got as close as we could to a young lion, who very conveniently found some shade under our combie making us wonder if this really was a lion or a dog! We were satisfied with our share of wild cats, which totally left us unprepared for what we encountered on the last day. The family of 27 was a fitting finale to our eventful wildlife gazing. Thankfully most of them were snoozing, giving us ample time to enjoy the scene. We couldn't have asked for more!